Pink Pink Pink!

Pattern: Whitby from Knitting on the Road by (who else but) Nancy Bush
Yarn: Louet Gems Opal in Pink Panther
Needle: #2 KnitPicks circulars
Mods: Made the leg about 1.5" longer than specified.

Overall, the socks are too snug for me. Luckily I have a few friends and family with smaller feet, so they are to be gifted. I easily could have used size #3 needles (if I did maybe they would have fit) and they are a bit dense, but the cables are nice and tight and really pop. The really interesting part is how much yarn these took. I got through the entire first sock and down the leg, through the heel and gusset of sock #2 before I needed to break into the second skein. Crazy!

This pattern was as addictive as the Monkey socks. I really loved every minute knitting them. They only took 10 days to knit, and that was with a few days of no knitting at all. Quick, fun and Pink!!!

A big, huge, ginormous thank you goes out to Esther. She read my comments about lusting after Wollmeise sock yarn after seeing it everywhere. She was nice enough to send me the leftovers from these colorful socks.

I was just expecting some yarn in an envelope. Did she deliver or what!!??!! I'm not sure how she knew my undying love of everything gummy, but these grape ones were amazing. If there was an Asian market anywhere near me, I'd be in trouble. (anyone know where I can get some on-line maybe??) The cookies are still in their box, but not for long. Swatching has commenced and I must say, I really like this yarn so far. The colors are so saturated. The twist is nice and tight (but in a different way - not in a Louet tight, but more a Lornas style), and it is sooooffft! Now I know what everyone is talking about - when I have a yarn budget again, some will be going to Germany.

Tucker, Ravin and I are off to a trial this weekend. Our last of the season! I guess I'll also have to find a sock to knit on - quick!

Fiberlicious!

In the spirit of Megan's Fiberlicious Flickr group, I managed to get a little creative with the stash.....

A treat I haven't had in eons - Cotton Candy! I was never the biggest fan of it, a bit too sweet for my tastes, but it was a fun thing to eat. The way it just simply dissolved when you ate it. And all the fun colors! This is the other skein of the yarn I'm using for Whitby. Louet Gems Opal in the Pink Panther colorway. Or, as it now looks, the Cotton Candy colorway!

Speaking of Whitby, the second leg is complete, and I'm making my way through the heel.

This is a side shot - there is a center pattern, then another cable on the other side. The cables just pop so amazingly well with this yarn I couldn't resist a full on cable shot! The yarn is so pretty - just a perfect pink. This one should be done in no time!

I have also really been trying to work on the hoodie. Before I got all sock obsessed, I'd have a sweater project for home and a sock project for work that I would knit on during lunch. I have been really trying to get back to that routine (it's hard to tear myself away from the socks!) and get this hoodie done!

About 3" of ribbing done. I think there is 5" total before the pattern starts. I'll have to organize a little and figure out what I'd like to do for the front. It may end up being the same as the back after my "mooshing" the two fronts together. I'm not quite sure what I'd like to do. Maybe a few of the cable columns separated by a bigger gap in the middle (almost a "blank" column) then more cable columns on the other side.....I have a few ideas floating around. For now though, I need to get through what seems like endless ribbing!

For everyone in the US - have a wonderful holiday tomorrow filled with food, fireworks and fun!

5 A Day - No Problem!

We picked up the second shipment of our CSA.

(click for more details)

Lots more great greens! I have really been enjoying taking salad to work for lunch every day. We got 4 more heads plus some arugula, kale and some beautiful red chard. In the mix was also the red looking scallions - I'm think they may just be a different variety, but boy are they tasty - along with a thyme plant. I love that they send fresh potted herbs too. We should be getting at least one or two a week! I need to make more room in the planting containers! More strawberries (I love these tiny, really tart ones) along with some yellow squash and zucchini that we will be grilling this week.

Last night I tried a recipe for Chipotle Cheddar Chard and used it as a filling in some tortillas. It was really good. Chipotle is one of my favorite flavors (and places!) and it really livened up the chard and made for a filling and healthy dinner. I still have the head of kale left - not quite sure what to do with that. If anyone has any unique ideas, let me know!

I am at the toe of the first Whitby. I made the leg about an inch longer than the pattern suggests - it seems like I am going to have a lot of yarn left over (even with my big size 9.5 feet!), and I like longer sock legs on my socks anyway. The heel and foot flew off the needles last night and I will probably cast on for the mate today. Looks like I'll have leftover pink

With as quick as these are going, I best be looking at what I'd like to knit next! With more and more people becoming members of Ravelry, (a HUGE thanks to Jess and Casey - they seriously ROCK!) I have come to browse the site a lot more just looking for ideas and things I may have forgotten about. Mad Color Weave is one I recently found. I love the texture. These Leaf and Tendril socks by Cat Bordhi look to be a fun challenge. Crystalline Lattice is another great textural sock. Then, there is always quite a few Nancy Bush patterns in the queue: Friday Harbor, New England and Unst are some I'd still like to knit.

Or, maybe I should pick up the long neglected Street Smart Hoodie. It just needs a front and a hood. Though I'm still on a toss up about the hood.

For now, I will plug away at Whitby all the while thinking of what may come next. I hope it's not as hot where you are as it is here - mid 90's with crazy humidity!

No One Puts Tucker in the Corner....

(I promise - knitting content at the end!)
It was like stepping back in time....The Blackthorne Resort is truly a getaway - a getaway from anything current that is. You get barely if any cell reception, the carpets and decor lead you to the 1960's and when you drive in it truly feels like you have stepped onto the set of Dirty Dancing. All weekend I was looking for Johnny or Baby to stroll by carrying a watermelon or something. Luckily this year I brought my camera. Trying to describe all the kitschy glory without photos just didn't cut it last year.

For some reason, this place has a fascination with birds. Loose or caged. Guinea hens, peacocks, a golden pheasant or two and roosters running around (Tucker thoroughly enjoyed giving them a good chase every morning)

There is a cute playground for the kids -

And even a spot to tie the knot if you so desire (next to the algae and goose infested pond)

They have a Tiki bar complete with wall to wall wood paneling and carpet with mustard yellow and avocado green medallions.

One of the rooming areas (they are split up into mini hotels all around the property. To say they are "basic accomidations" is pushing it - some rooms have a lingering scent of who knows what, the linens and shower curtains look like they came from goodwill and things just don't work) looks like one of my all time favorite Disney rides

You can see all the rooming areas are decorated with flowers and other, ahem, attractive items attached to them.

We stayed in the room area to the right (white one) on the bottom floor. Easy to walk the dogs, close to the trial (about 200 feet!) There is a huge pavillion with a place to get (gross) food and drinks during the day if you want.

The only picture I don't have that I wish I had taken was of the dining room. Why no picture? Because we never entered it all weekend. We all brought our own food and cooked out and pot lucked it. The food is less than stellar (pretty nasty actually) but is included in your "resort" room price. We did eat in the dining room last year (for lack of any other food - the closest convenience store is about 10 miles away) but learned our lesson and we all brought food this year.

With the nasty rooms and gross food you may be wondering why I go back - the people! It is the most fun dog people have all year - we drink Mike's as we sit and watch agility in beautiful weather. Three full days. Three exhausting days. Three wonderful days! We already put our room reservations in for next year!

In knitting news (I had to include some kind of knitting content!) Whitby proves to be just as addictive a pattern as Monkey was. Easy to memorize and it flies with the thicker Louet Opal and size two needles I am at the heel after only a short stints of knitting!

(Judging by this picture, you would think pink was my favorite color!)The Opal is knitting up dense and squishy on the #2's. I probably could have gone to #3's easily, but I love a dense sock. The cables - ahhh, I have missed cables while I was having my stranded obesssion. The Opal shows them brilliantly. This has to be one of my favorite sock yarns ever.